scapegoat

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

When policies fail and public support craters, authoritarian regimes inevitably seek a scapegoat.

From Salon • Mar. 17, 2026

Sancho hit back on social media almost immediately, saying he had been made a "scapegoat".

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026

Lesson: The volatility that comes with technological change sometimes requires a scapegoat.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

A TikTok spokesman told AFP in September that the company "categorically rejects the deceptive presentation" by French MPs, saying it was being made a "scapegoat" for broader societal issues.

From Barron's • Nov. 4, 2025

This didn’t satisfy many people, and a second scapegoat soon emerged: the firefighters.

From "The Great Fire" by Jim Murphy